SCB Run for a reason

This morning I took part in a 10k event, organized here in Brunei! The first one with proper timing chips and everything for the 10k and Half-Marathon runners. It was the Standard Chartered Bank Run For A Reason race.

In hindsight I'm not quite sure why I signed up for this one. I haven't been running for ages, my last proper run was two months ago, and before that... I don't even remember... My last running training was two YEARS ago when I completed the 10k races in Hong Kong and Singapore.
I guess I got sucked into it by the enthusiasm of the other 12WBT girls! Most of the group was out running one distance or another this morning, and all with outstanding results!

My alarm went at 04.45 this morning and I picked my friend Kim up at 05.30. We were in good time for the start of the race which was scheduled to 06.30.
I must say I'm really impressed by the organization of this race, there was big signs everywhere to get yourself in the right direction and every distance started on time, just as planned.
Here are a few blurry iPhone shots that Kim took pre-race:

Head-to-toe warm up:



Kim in a squat!



It was a sea of blue and green at the start, nearly everyone wore the free race shirt. I purposely had chosen my yellow race shirt, to stand out a bit (also I had asked to get the race shirt in a size 44/XL?? I'm not that size, and have never been actually. Not sure what happened there?!) - and I sure did!







And off we went! Still smiling!



I actually did pretty well on the first half of the race. I have this secret dream to run the 10k under an hour (which wont happen until I do some proper running training, intervals, hill sprints etc and actually speed up...), but at 5k today I was only at 27min30ish, and I thought to myself - I got a small chance of making the hour!
But once we got to 8k, I got a stitch, and was out of juice completely. I nearly gave up and started walking but thought I better keep moving, even though it was very slowly... Kim passed me with a huge smile at 9k and sprinted into the finish line, me not so much.

See the pain on my face, just after having finished?



Well, although she did a fab time, Kim didn't look all that either, ha ha...



And - the after photo, not so smiley anymore! :)



Even though I didn't crack the hour (this time, and I'm not sure it'll ever be a next...) I did do a personal best though! A minute plus faster than my last, so not too shabby after all!
(Thank you Yvette for the photos!)